

Depends on the type of cable but some do - all but the lowest of the bottom end of USB-C cables for example will have some sort of chip in them to negotiate charging rate, and those that support fancier things like Thunderbolt will have a more complicated chip.
If you’re setting out to install more potentially nefarious things on a cable it’s definitely possible to make them fit in - see this cable sold for pen testing for example.
The basics are easy - half an hour with someone who knows what they"re doing should be all you need to get out and about. Getting to the point where it’s instinctual and you don’t have to think about shifting is probably beyond the limits of a short trip but depending on how much driving you do you can be fairly smooth within a few days.
The main risk you run with learning manual is that once you get the hang of it it spoils automatics for you - you might end up having to buy yourself a manual car to avoid being annoyed by the missteps autos tend to do.